This is the easy, wholesome stir-fry you'll want to keep in regular rotation in your meal plan. It will win you over with its fresh medley of crisp, crunchy veggies and coating of savory-sweet sauce. You'll go back to it again and again because it's a quick and reliable meal, asking no more of you than chopping veggies and spending less than 20 minutes at the stove.

A Template for Any Weeknight Veggie Stir-Fry

When it comes to vegetable stir-fries, the possibilities are nearly limitless. In fact, a basic vegetable stir-fry relies on a template more than a set recipe. It can be broken down into three key parts: the vegetables, a stir-fry sauce, and rice or noodles for serving.

Get this part down, and you can start customizing it based on your mood or whatever veggies are lingering in your fridge.

Choosing the Vegetables

A variety of vegetables will not only make for a more colorful stir-fry (let's be honest — it feels like a little victory when dinner looks good too), but also change up the texture, which makes dinner more interesting.

This version uses a combination of broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper, and snow peas. Use these or swap in some of your favorites. The method for this stir-fry is adaptable to just about any and all veggies. Try swapping the broccoli for cauliflower or carrots, the mushrooms for eggplant or asparagus, or the peppers for celery or zucchini. Get creative — there's so much flexibility here.

The Sauce

The sweet and savory sauce we're using here has universal appeal, and it's family friendly too. Start with this mixture and adjust it to fix your family's taste. The miso paste is an element we'd urge you to hang on to, as it helps add some depth to the overall taste of this meal and gives it a very satisfying richness.

New to Stir-Frying? Start Here!

Weeknight Veggie Dinners

Ready to help your family eat even more veggies? Of course you are. Us too! This week we're sharing family-friendly vegetarian recipes that will inspire and show you the ease and versatility of including a meat-free night in your meal plan. These are the dinners that are easy to pull together on busy weeknights and will satisfy adults and kids alike.

Weeknight Vegetable Stir-Fry

Serves 4

For the sauce:

1/3 cup

water

2 tablespoons

tamari or soy sauce

2 teaspoons

honey or packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon

minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon

white or red miso paste

1 teaspoon

cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon

red pepper flakes (optional)

For the stir-fry and serving:

3 tablespoons

canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 1/2 pounds

broccoli (about 2 medium heads), cut into small floretsKosher salt

8 ounces

mixed fresh mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced

2

medium bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

8 ounces

snow peas

3

cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon

minced peeled fresh ginger

Cooked rice or noodles, for serving

1/4 cup

unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Make the sauce: Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl, making sure the cornstarch is dissolved; set aside.

Make the stir-fry: Heat a flat-bottomed wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water vaporizes immediately on contact. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil around the pan, add the broccoli, and season with salt. Using a metal spatula, stir-fry until it begins to soften and brown around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in the pan, add the mushrooms, and season with salt. Stir-fry until browned and softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the broccoli.

Drizzle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in the pan, add the peppers, snow peas, garlic, and ginger, and season with salt. Stir-fry until the garlic and ginger are fragrant and the vegetables are softened, about 1 minute.

Add the reserved broccoli and mushrooms and any accumulated juices back to the pan and stir to combine. Stir the sauce one more time, pour into the pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and coats the vegetables, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles and top with the peanuts.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The sauce can be made 1 day in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Let the sauce sit at room temperature while preparing the stir-fry, and stir to dissolve the cornstarch again before adding to the pan.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.